Pope Leo XIV is bringing his opposition to euthanasia and medically assisted dying to Lourdes, where he was due Sunday to meet French bishops, celebrate Mass before an estimated 150,000 people and meet seven clergy-abuse survivors.
A 2021 independent report estimated that 330,000 children had been abused over 70 years by about 3,000 priests and church workers. French bishops established an independent compensation system that has recommended more than €20 million in payments. In an open letter, a group of victims criticized the church for selecting the seven survivors and asked Leo to acknowledge the church’s responsibility.
The mosaics on Lourdes’ Notre Dame du Rosaire Basilica were designed by Rev. Marko Rupnik, who is on trial in a Vatican court after more than two dozen women accused him of psychological, spiritual and sexual abuse dating from the 1990s, including during the artworks’ creation. Lourdes Bishop Jean-Marc Micas decided to cover the mosaics, saying survivors seeking healing should not be forced to see them.
